Last Christmas
by InfiniteWordForge
Summary: Their last Christmas as Beacon students, the last opportunity for Ruby to tell Weiss how she really felt. But this was indeed a Christmas to remember; the Christmas that Ruby began to distance herself from Weiss.


Their last Christmas as Beacon students, the last opportunity for Ruby to tell Weiss how she really felt. Ruby had spent the better half of the semester looking for the right gift -no- the perfect gift for Weiss. They had always been friends and went through everything side by side, Ruby wasn't sure of her feelings when they began but now, at the end of their days as students, she was certain. She had wanted to tell Weiss countless times but either her nerves or poor timing prevented her. But not this time. This Christmas was one to remember.

On Christmas Ruby gave it to her, hoping her feelings would be conveyed, but Weiss didn't notice. She watched as Weiss accepted her gift with the same amount of interest and care she had received Ruby's gifts in passed years, gifting Ruby herself a tin of holiday sweets like she always. But it was the gift that Weiss gave to Neptune that made Ruby lose hope. A heartfelt gift that she must have spent a long time picking out and the fact that she gave it to him with a smile she never showed Ruby made the younger girl lose heart.

This was indeed a Christmas to remember, the Christmas Ruby distanced herself from Weiss.

A year had passed since then and Ruby continued to see Weiss outside of school but she politely excused herself when Neptune was around, avoiding becoming the third wheel. But mostly to spare herself from the pain of being around them. She remained as one of Weiss' closest friends but that's all she was; a friend. Weiss had grown busy as the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, her time with Ruby and the others growing smaller and smaller. Ruby understood and she knew that any free time Weiss had she would want to spend it with Neptune.

Not long after graduation Ruby took up work at a weapons shop owned by her uncle, building and repairing the weapons she loved so much. Despite her renown and test scores at Beacon she was still counted as too young to go on hunts on her own and even though Yang was one of the shop's co-owners she was rarely around, usually out hunting with Blake.

Ruby didn't mind, however, she had grown to like the down time away from missions. She worked hard at the shop but ever her mind wandered to her days as a student and Weiss as well. She began tinkering on her free time, crafting a small device in her free time. A music box, one bearing a rose bud made of silver that opened each time it played. It was then she realized that Christmas was fast approaching again.

With the holiday approaching Ruby found herself with fewer customers and more free time. Crescent Rose hung on the wall behind her, fine tuned and sharpened as the day it was made. Her tools and machines lay cold today and silence fell over the rows of weapons, munitions and parts that filled her small shop. Ruby herself sat before the front counter, tinkering with her music box, her free time consumed by the small device as she carefully carved a line of words on it's front.

Her concentration was broken as the brass bell over the door rattled, signaling the entrance of a customer. Setting aside her pet project and removing her eye piece, Ruby looked up to see a familiar face staring back at her. Neptune stopped just inside the door, his blue hair was longer now but he still looked the same.

"Ruby?" He asked.

She stood up quickly. "Neptune!"

He walked up to her as Ruby stepped around the counter, smiling from ear to ear. "What are you doing here?" He asked, shaking her hand despite the machine oil on her skin.

"I run this place." She chuckled. "I have for a year now."

"Now I know why Sage recommended this place." He said. "But enough of that; how have you been? It's been a while. I see you've been growing your hair."

Ruby grinned, turning slightly to show off her tied back locks. "I have to keep it tied up here. Yang likes it but Qrow says I should cut it."

"Well, I think it looks good on you." Neptune added.

"Thanks." She grinned at him again. "So," she began, "You didn't come here just to chat, right? What can I do for you?"

"Oh, right." Neptune said, as if remembering why he was here. He reached over his shoulder and pulled his weapon in rifle form. "Could you give this bad boy a once over?" He asked. "It's been a little off lately."

Ruby accepted the weapon. "Yeah, no problem." She walked back around the counter, going towards her work benched behind it. "I'll be sure to give you a friend discount." She said.

Neptune laughed. "I'd appreciate that."

He leaned up against the counter as Ruby began inspecting the weapon, shifting it into it's various forms and making a mental list of what needed to be done. But as she did she noticed he was alone and she wondered why Weiss wasn't with him. She wanted to ask him if he had any plans with Weiss. It was a stupid question, she thought. Christmas was next week, of course they would have plans. As well as she did to hide it jealousy welled up inside her.

As Ruby began working on the weapon she heard Neptune's scroll chime at him. She glanced over her shoulder as he answered it, a slightly annoyed look on his face.

"Hey, Weiss." Ruby felt her heart jump at the sound of the name but she noticed the less than cordial tone in Neptune's voice.

"Hey, Neptune." She heard Weiss' voice over her machines. "Are you bus?"

"A little." Came Neptune's response. "What do you want?"

She heard Weiss pause. "I was hoping, you know, with next week being Christmas, that we could spend the holiday together."

"I have plans for Christmas." Neptune replied, his curt tone beginning to frustrate Ruby.

A brief moment of silence fell over them, the only sound being Ruby's machines but she wasn't working. "Neptune," she heard Weiss' voice again, "We haven't been able to spend any time together. I rarely see you."

"Yeah, well, who's fault is that?"

"That's not fair. I told you I was sorry."

Neptune lowered his phone. "I gotta go," he said, "I have another call coming." Without waiting for a response he hung up on her, answering the new call with, what Ruby noticed, a brighter expression. "Yo, Sun! What's up?" His change in tone and attitude infuriated Ruby but something held her back from snapping at him.

"Hey, man," she heard Sun's voice, "You got anything going on next week? Sage, Scarlet and I are going to throw a team party. You in?"

"Yeah, dud, I'm down!" Neptune replied. "I've got nothing planned."

Ruby slammed her hands down on her bench, her temper flaring and scattering tools and small parts onto the floor. She turned on Neptune, his face a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"How could you do that?" She shouted at him.

Neptune held up his hands defensively. "Whoa, Ruby, what-"

"You just stood her up!" She continued. "Weiss! The girl you've been dating for a year now!"

He steadily lowered his hands, ending his call with Sun. "We haven't exactly been dating since graduation." He said. "She went off to Atlas and when she came back she was busy all the time. She's canceled on me more times than I could count. It felt like I was the only one trying."

Ruby managed to calm herself, although only a little. "Of course she's busy." She said. "But she still tries to make time. How do you think I feel? She spends all her free time with you and I haven't gotten to see her in months." She looked him in the eyes. "Somehow I get the feeling that she's the one that's trying. How many times have you done this to her?"

By the way Neptune avoided her gaze Ruby knew the count was more times than she could stand to know. "There's someone else." He said.

Ruby's eyes narrowed. She went back to her bench and grabbed Neptune's weapon, turning on her heel and throwing it at him. "Get out." She growled. "Don't come here again."

Neptune caught his weapon, keeping his eyes low. "Sorry-"

"I'm not the one you should be apologizing to!" She interrupted, stepping around the counter. "Leave!"

Neptune didn't resist as Ruby pushed him through the shop and out the door. She slammed it behind him, storming away, not bothering to lock the door or anything. He blood boiled and she fumed as she threw her gloves across the store. She rubbed at her head as she stood over her counter, leaning on one arm. As she lowered her hand she noticed the music box sitting off to the side. She stared at it for several long moments. She straightened, looking out the front of her store and back to the small device.

She quickly took off her work apron, tossing it over the counter before grabbing the music box. Locking up the front door, she took off down the road, using her semblance in bursts to cover more ground. Her heart told her what she should do and so she hurried toward the Schnee household.

Ruby had been to Weiss' home several times in the past and her sudden appearance was nothing strange to the house's staff. So when she knocked on the door the only strange look she got from the butler was at her clothes.

"Miss Rose," the elderly man greeted her, "To what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

"Is Weiss here?" She asked, catching her breath.

"She is indeed but I must warn you," he began, "Miss Schnee appears to be in ill temper today."

"I know." Ruby replied, her hand tightening around the music box. "But I still need to see her."

The man nodded. "Very well." He said, stepping aside. "You know the way, I trust?"

"I do." Ruby replied. "Thank you."

With a flurry of rose petals she disappeared into the home. The butler shook his head, "If there is one upside to your visits, Miss Rose, it is that we are never short on rose petals for Miss Schnee's bath."

Ruby stood outside the door to Weiss' study, determined to say what she couldn't last year and the countless times before. She had to this time. With a deep breath she knocked on the door and entered, noticing Weiss standing in front of her desk.

"Ruby?" Weiss asked.

As the door shut behind her, Ruby saw the tears that streaked Weiss' face and the redness around her eyes. Weiss quickly tried to wipe them away, turning from her as she rubbed at her eyes with her sleeves.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

Ruby couldn't muster any words, the sight of Weiss- Weiss of all people- crying stunned her. She abandoned everything she was going to say, she walked up to Weiss as she turned back to her and hugged her. She was caught off guard but she didn't shy away from Ruby's embrace.

"I'm here, Weiss." Ruby said to her. "I'll always be there for you."

Weiss's tears continued to fall but a feeling of comfort washed over her as Ruby pulled away. She held up her hand and extended the music box, the line of text she had just engraved facing Weiss. It read, 'To Weiss Schnee: I'm close by, I'll stay here, through all things I'll be near'.

"Weiss," Ruby brought the other girl's attention to her, "I love you, I have since our time at Beacon. But I couldn't bring myself to tell you."

Weiss reached up and wiped at her eyes. "Will you-," she sniffed, "Do you promise to stay by me?"

Ruby nodded. "I promise."

Weiss leaned and pressed her face to Ruby's shoulder, her hands gripping her sleeves. Ruby stood there, letting Weiss stay as she was. Then Weiss straightened suddenly and pushed her away, keeping her at arms length.

"Weiss?" Ruby asked.

Weiss smiled at her. "You smell like grease and oil." She said. "My clothes are going to stink now."

Ruby looked down at herself, still dressed in her work clothes, of course. "I kind of just dashed out of the workshop." She began. She smiled at her helplessly. "Sorry about that."

She watched as Weiss laughed at her, her smile never fading. "You dunce."

Christmas eve came again, Vale now wore a light coat of snow with colorful lights piercing the dark of night. The streets were filled with people, the air thick with sweet smells and shop windows of glowed like fireplaces. Gentle snow flakes fell from the cloudless sky, shining like the stars above. Indeed, this was a Christmas to remember.

Weiss sat beside Ruby on a bench outside a bakery's window, nestled close to the taller woman to keep warm as a large and decorative parasol kept the snow off them. The heiress kept her arms around Ruby's, a small fear in her chest that if she let go then Ruby would disappear. But as Weiss looked at her lover, a content smile on her face as she ate freshly baked sweets, she knew she would never leave her.

Ruby noticed Weiss looking at her and turned to her, offering her a bite from the overly large confection she had just purchased. "Try it, Weiss." She smiled. "It's really good."

Weiss looked from her to the sweet, Ruby's teeth marks clearly imprinted on it where she had taken a bite. With one had tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, Weiss leaned in and bit into the offered sweet, enlarging the preexisting bite. Ruby only smiled as Weiss visibly enjoyed the treat, a faint smile on her lips as she chewed.

Ruby looked up at the city, this year's Christmas seeming to possess a brighter tone than any of the passed. "Is there anything you want?" Ruby asked aloud. "It is Christmas after all."

Weiss swallowed. "Shouldn't I be asking you that?" She asked. "You gave me the music box already."

"Yeah, but that was last week." Ruby chuckled. "And I don't need anything." She looked to Weiss, a slightly flustered hue to her face. "I have you."

Weiss' heart jumped at the statement, either out of embarrassment or joy. Or perhaps both. She squeezed Ruby's arm, bringing herself ever closer to her. "I don't want anything." She said. "Just you." This time it was Ruby's turn to blush, falling victim to Weiss turning the tables on her. Weiss smiled, pleased with herself, before drawing away. "But if you must give me something," she began, "I'll take this."

Ruby felt Weiss' hand on her cheek, turning her so that they were facing each other with only an inch or two between them. Ruby's eyes widened in surprise as Weiss reached up and pressed her lips to hers. The kiss lasted for only a few moments but for Ruby it seemed much longer. She watched as Weiss drew away, the taste of her lipgloss on her lips, with a shy smile on her face.

"Merry Christmas, Ruby." Weiss said.

A warmth spread through Ruby as she looked at Weiss, a fulfilled feeling as well as a peaceful one. She leaned in, pressed her forehead to Weiss', closing her eyes as happiness washed over them both.

"Merry Christmas, Weiss."


End file.
